the mount vernon report winter 2006 - vol. 6, no. 4

8/8/2019 The Mount Vernon Report Winter 2006 - vol. 6, no. 4

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In the past, this edition of the Mount Vernon Report has beendedicated to our annual Massachusetts Corporate Reputation Survey(MCRS) results. The survey, conducted by Opinion DynamicsCorporation, a national leader in market research, polling andconsulting, polls 200 top-level business executives and reflectsthe changing dynamics that many businesses and non-profits haveexperienced in 2006.

We will provide our customary rankings list of the companies,organizations and CEOs who have earned the right to be included, alongwith our methodology and findings in early 2007, but wanted to sharethe Top 25 results with you now.

The best keep getting better in Massachusetts. Congratulations Brigham and Womens Hospital, who earned top honors this yemoving up from their number five ranking in 2005. Kudos to this yeaMCRS newcomer Dunkin Donuts, who captured the number twposition, the only for-profit company included in the top ten.

All of these organizations understand the implied social contract thhave made with the society in which they operate. The MCRS is a grereminder that valued acts of service and philanthropy, charitabgiving and investments in your companys reputation is great fbusiness and even better for the world.

W i n t e r 2 0 0 6 v o l . 6 n o . 4

At a recent Reputation Management lecture at Boston UniversitysCollege of Communication, the professor asked students who theywould rather work for - Apple or Microsoft - to gauge the level ofcoolness (or lack thereof) between the two.

Not surprisingly, Apple won easily. The ubiquitous iPods and slickMacBooks are beautifully designed devices and recognizable in theears, hands and backpacks of almost every student I see throughoutBUs urban campus a true testament of customer loyalty andallegiance to Steve Jobs and his company. The professor also wantedto understand what makes one company more attractive to thestudents, and what qualities they find admirable.

An awareness of the global charitable efforts of the Bill & MelindaGates Foundation might have changed the students outcome of thispopularity poll.

This truly unique Foundation provides funding to protect the worldsneediest people from almost certain pain and suffering. TheFoundation creates new voices in communities normally overlookedthrough its education investments to underserved, largely minoritypopulations in the U.S and globally. And what is more importantthan investing in the future?

Unlike the great philanthropists of the gilded age the Mellons,Rockefellers and Fords the Gates will not have to wait a generationto see their good work put to use. The Foundation decided to spendall its assets within 50 years of both Bill and Melinda dying, a quiteliteral gift to the 21st century. Young people can benefit fromwitnessing, understanding and hopefully reaping the benefits of thisspectacular commitment.

This year, Bill and Melinda received the ultimate tribute: anoteworthy contribution from a frugal giant. Warren Buffet, anadmirer of the Gates, gave the Foundation some $30 billion dollarsin Berkshire Hathaway class B stock because, in true Buffet fashion, hesaw no reason to replicate on his own what the Gates Foundation wasalready doing so well. With Gates endowment, Buffet helped tocreate the largest public philanthropic organization of its kind. Globalgiants try to preserve what we mortals cannot to be remembered forgiving something far greater than their earthly business contributions.I suspect the same altruism that drives all of our charitable givingmotivates them as well the best, yet most often over-looked, side ofmankind.

As one pundit put it, we are going to be dead a long time, so whynot give while we are here. Perform little miracles down the streetor around the globe.

This issue of the Mount Vernon Report celebrates this year of givingand well-deserved noble reputations. We reprint with The Boston Globespermission the story of local Massachusetts philanthropist TomWhite, another successful man who aims to give all his money to theneediest causes before he dies. In the spirit of full disclosure, I knowTom White and his family. I include this article because I truly admirehis ideals and character; with the hope his story will inspire others tofollow his lead. Tom does not know this article is appearing. He is fartoo modest.

The time to start your building your legacy reputation is January 1,2007 - or right now if you cant wait to get started.

The Rich Give Differently...Or Do They?

I s su e s Af f e c t in g Repu ta t i on Manag emen t and S t r a t eg i c Communi ca t i on s

2006 Massachusetts Corporate Reputation Survey Results

{ MC RS RESULTS - continued on PG 2


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CBS Broadcasting Welcomes 2007

In a year where Pluto was demoted to a dwarf planet, 2006 seemed

to instill feelings of uncertainty and uneasiness. Oil prices, global

warming, government scandals, and the war in Iraq all seemed to

trigger feelings of turbulence, a feeling to which our tried and true

broadcast networks are hardly immune. The reputation of CBSs revered

news programs is no exception.

It has been an interesting couple of years for CBS - from the Dan

Rathergate scandal, to the acclaimed film Good Night and Good

Luck, to the recent passing of veteran Ed Bradley, CBS has never lacked

for coverage. When former CBS Evening News anchor Walter

Cronkite was named the most trusted man in America, he

undoubtedly passed this distinction on to the organization itself, a

colossal pair of shoes to fill and an incredible reputation to honor. This

year CBS chose a new look for its organization with the recent

appointment of Katie Couric as anchor of the Evening News, a

position widely considered the most prestigious seat in American

journalism. Some have called it a re-branding campaign, while others

simply doubt Courics ability to deliver hard news at CBSs (and

Cronkites) level. Since CBS reporters have long been the face of the

organization, its easy to imagine that CBSs reputation might also be

questioned.

Yet CBS has spent more than half a century establishing it

reputation, and the trademark CBS eye remains one of the mos

easily recognizable and respected sources of information worldwide. To

this day, words from Cronkite (especially his denouncement of Iraq)

carry significant weight in some of the worlds leading politicacouncils. And after September 11th, when the importance and

credibility of television news became even more meaningful to Americans

CBS continued to consistently provide trustworthy reporting and solid

faces to count on in times of need. To some viewers, it was a gift o

reassurance from their trusted authorities in news.

Though CBS has taken more than their fair share of blows lately, it

doubtful that anyone will switch from CBS to Fox because they dislike

the person sharing the days news during their dinner hour. CBS wa

able to strengthen its reputation for credible and respected news

gathering by taking a risk that might have cost viewer loyalty and

credibility, by using its audiences needs and expectations to guide thecompany through change. This is a great example of how aligning

company with its core values can only serve to solidify a

strong reputation and usher in new eras of innovation. Despite th

modernized set-up and a change of personality, the new CBS remain

the CBS weve always known. Thats the way it is.

~ Aimee Chares

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1) Brigham and Womens Hospital2) Dunkin Donuts3) Childrens Hospital4) Boston College

5) Tufts University6) Boston University7) Harvard University8) Massachusetts General Hospital9) Massachusetts Institute of Technology10) Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA

11) University of Massachusetts12) Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center13) Staples14) Home Depot USA, Inc.15) Stop and Shop16) Yankee Candle Co.17) United Parcel Service, Inc.18) Verizon New England, Inc.19) Fidelity Investments

20) Northeastern University21) Tufts/New England Medical Center22) Reebok International Ltd.23) Bank of America24) BJs Wholesale Club25) Lahey Clinic Medical Center

TOP

TEN

We make a living bywhat we get, but we make

a life by what we give.

Winston Churchill

The Massachusetts Corporate Reputation Survey (MCRS) Top-25 results

{ MC RS RESULTS - continued from PG 1}


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Theres a popular bumper sticker that says: He who dies with the most

toys wins.Tom Whites bumper sticker would read: He who gives it allaway wins.

It looks as if White will get his wish. At 84, the construction millionairehas given away his fortune. If he has his way, hell be down to his lastquarter when he draws his last breath. Give me three good reasons whyI shouldnt, he says. Then he proceeds to list threereasons he should. I cant take it with me, my kids are OK, and my wifestaken care of.

He gave away his first chunk of money after World War II, when an Armybuddy needed some cash. White gave him $200. Since then, he estimateshe has given away $75 million, pretty much all of his assets. He has sup-ported more than 100 causes over the years, but his biggest gift by far has

gone to Partners in Health, the program made famous last year with thepublication of Tracy Kidders book Mountains Beyond Mountains.Thebook details the work done in Haiti and other Third World countries byDr. Paul Farmer, a Harvard professor and infectious-disease specialistwhose work on AIDS and tuberculosis for the worlds poorest has beenhailed as groundbreaking. White put up the initial money for the programand has steadily funneled tens of millions of dollars into it.

It all began with a bread oven. A 1983 meeting in Haiti would changeboth mens lives, as well as the way the medical world would treat poorpeople with AIDS and drug-resistant tuberculosis. Then a Harvardmedical student working in Haiti, Farmer was dispatched to thePort-au-Prince airport to fetch White, a successful businessman on

an errand.

White was 64, 40 years older than the brash young student who viewedthe capitalist with more than a grain of skepticism. He was wearingbright checkered golf pants, red and other offensive colors, and some sortof golf shirt, and he had on a hat, Farmer says. It was Whites first tripto Haiti; he had been asked by Project Bread, one of his charities, to builda community oven in Cange, a rural slum, so women would not have towalk 10 miles each way to buy bread. It was a no-brainer, says White,who was president of J.F. White Contracting Co., a business started byhis father. So I went over, and who did I meet but Paul? What a piece ofwork.White chuckles. Hed hardly give me the time of day because hethought I was a member of the establishment.

On the long, dusty ride to Cange, Farmer, who had asked Project Breadfor the oven, baited White: How do you feel about unions? Who did yousupport in the last presidential election? (All sorts of inappropriatequestions that a 24-year-old should not be asking a potential donor,Farmer says today.

To Farmers surprise, White replied that he was in favor of unions andthat he had voted against Ronald Reagan. Farmer was impressed not onlyby Whites answers but by his emotional reaction to the suffering he sawin Haiti. That made a big difference to me, says Farmer, to whom Haitihas become a second home. The inspiration for Partners in Health was

born right then and there. In 1987 it was established, with a $1 million

donation from White, who sits on the groups advisory board.

He said yes, and he has continued to say yes,is the way Farmer describeWhites contribution to Partners in Health. He has the gift of empathyHes probably the greatest man Ive ever met. Its high praise coming froma man who has himself been called a saint.

A quiet force

On a recent day, White is relaxing in his two-bedroom condooverlooking the Charles River in Cambridge. It is a nice place, but hardlya millionaires digs, with its galley kitchen and combinationliving/dining area. Hes forthright about his life, warts and all, and quickwith a laugh. But his eyes flash at the mention of certain

subjects, particularly Haiti. He thinks the Bush administrationspolicy toward former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide has beendevastating to both democracy and the poor. Aristide recently fled Haitas rebels overtook the capital.

Bush hates Aristide because he wont be a toady, says White, who goelooking for Aristide whenever hes in Haiti. I often find him at hiorphanage in Port-au-Prince. Hes going to do what he thinks is best forthe poor people. . . Aristide has had nothing to work with. Under Bushthe United States has helped block $500 million in aid to the poorestcountry in the Western Hemisphere, ravaging its economy and basicservices. People are literally starving, especially children. Its unbelievable,White says.

White has long been a quiet force in Boston. His company built FoxboroStadium, the Charles River dam, part of the subway system, the ParkPlaza Hotel, and the underground garage at Post Office Square. Whitewas a confidante of Cardinal Cushing and served as the New Englandfund-raiser for John F. Kennedys presidential campaign. He has been onthe boards of the Harvard Divinity School, Boston College, the NewEngland Patriots, and the JFK Library. And for decades he has quietlybeen giving away money to various causes, especially those dealing withthe poor. He put up seed money to help start Nativity PreparatorySchool in Roxbury, which offers children from impoverished homes aprep-school education.

I kept going to the bottom tier, which is Haiti, is the way White

describes his charitable causes. Whenever his alma mater, Harvard, wouldcall looking for money, hed say, For Gods sake, youve got $15 billionover there, and Ive got people over here starving to death. You tell mewhat I should do. Recounting this, White chuckles and adds, I still give$1,000 a year so my classmates will talk to me.

Theres no doubt that, given the choice, hed rather have acement-block building in Haiti named after him than a Harvard libraryActually, hed rather not have either. But in 1999, the board of Partnerin Health decided to name a treatment center at thei

pg. 3

A Timeless Lesson In ReputationThe Richest Man in Town at 84, Tom White Has Achieved His Lifes Goal. Hes Given Away His Entire Fortune.

Reprinted from The Boston Globe By Bella English 3/23/04

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The Mount Vernon Report is published and copyrighted 2006 by Morrissey & Company, an independent Reputation Management and Public Relations firm headquartered at 121 Mount Vernon Street, Boston, MA 02108. Permission to copy anddistribute is granted, provided that full attribution is given to Morrissey & Company. Further commentary or response to any of the topics discussed in this issue is welcome and should be directed to 617-523-4141 or via e-mail to [email protected].

In an effort to conserve natural resources we have altered the format of the Mount Vernon Report to omit the use of an envelope.

Please visit us on the World Wide Web at: http://www.mountvernonreport.com

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headquarters in Haiti the Thomas J. White Center. Across central Haiti,patients talk of going to the Tom White to get help.

Last year, when Farmer and White were in Haiti, patients asked to meetthis Tom White who had funded the facility where they were beingtreated. Farmer was the translator, speaking Creole. But when it came torelaying the message from the patients spokesman to their benefactor,

Farmer could barely continue. I had more than a lump in my throat, hesays. He was in tears. The message: In the name of the Tom Whitepatients, wed like to welcome you to the Tom White pavilion. White,too, was teary-eyed, but he thanked the patients, said they were models forother places with similar problems, and told them it was their job to getwell and help other patients.

He has basically given away his wealth, Farmer says. Ive never seen itbefore, have you? Ive read about it in the Bible.

Fighting battles

From Irish Catholic kid to major philanthropist, it was not a smooth roadfor White. The son of an alcoholic with a nasty temper, he says he grew

up in Cambridge with poor self-esteem. Whites mother,overwhelmed with six children, wasnt much help. If you came in with abloody nose, shed say, You have to fight your own battles, he recalls.When young Tom brought home all As, it still wasnt good enough forhis parents.

I think the suffering in my own family made me want to help others,White says. His father proved successful in real estate, fuel, andconstruction. But the Depression wiped him out. Though the family wascomfortable - we had the only single-family home on Ellery Street,White says - his father was cheap. He would never buy us a bike, and Iremember stuffing paper in my shoes, says White, who made do withhand-me-downs.

Attending Harvard on an ROTC grant, he graduated on June 6, 1942.Two days later, he was at Fort Bragg in California, volunteering as a para-trooper. He jumped into Normandy the night before D-Day, returninghome with Silver and Bronze stars. In 1947, he took over his fathers

construction business with a couple of old coal trucks and $20,000He didnt know anything about building, but it turns out he did knowsomething about making money.

Once White got a glimpse of Haiti, that was it; he decided there couldbe no better use for his money. I was angry, he says. You see the kidswith red hair and distended bellies, signs of severe malnutrition. During

one trip to Partners in Healths clinic in Cange, White told Farmer andhis colleagues to outfit the villages shanties with cement floors and tinroofs - and send him the bill. More than 100 huts were fixed.

The floors were dirt, and when it rained, people would sleep in themud, he says. He is proud of the food program at Cange - the kids getwo meals a day. Today, Partners in Health runs a full-servichospital, AIDS and tuberculosis treatment clinics, a womens healthcenter, and several cottage industries in Haiti. It has also launchedprograms in Peru, Siberia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Boston.

They would call me and say, We have 10 cases of drug-resistant TB, andat that time it cost $25,000 a patient, White says. They kepcalling: Weve identified 20 more, and then 20 more.White never said

no. Finally, about four or five years ago, it just got beyond me, he saysI dont have money like Bill Gates. What I gave away was all I have, butit wasnt all that much. He says that he still has a few hundred thousandbucks in a charitable gift fund. As for Partners in Health, the Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation has become a major donor.

Motivated to help Whites giving comes from the heart, not the egoWhen Time magazine named him best philanthropist in 2001, he saidYouve got the wrong man. He says he loathes stories about self-mademen, particularly from politicians. All these guys brag that they did iall themselves. Its a lot of baloney. Everyone gets breaks. Along the wayIve had a lot of breaks.

Epilogue At this writing, Tom White is still busy helping others. Paul Farmer and hidedicated team at Partners in Health continue to bring the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need around the world. Mountains Beyond Mountains now in itsecond printing, continues to be recognized as a profoundly inspiring andimportant book about one of the truly great men of our time. -Bella English

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the mount vernon report winter 2006 - vol. 6, no. 4

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